Police in New York said they were building a strong criminal case against producer Harvey Weinstein following a claim by an actress that he raped her seven years ago. Officials within the NYPD said they were amassing evidence with the aim of putting together a warrant to arrest Weinstein. According to The New York Times, the claims of actress, Paz de la Huerta, have been the center of attention for investigators in the department’s Special Victims Division for many days.

In early October of this year, The Times and The New Yorker discussed the lengthy history of allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault that numerous women have alleged against Weinstein. The NYPD’s chief of detectives, Robert K. Boyce, stated his investigators would have tried to arrest him right away. However, Weinstein had not been in the city, and seven years had elapsed since the crimes are alleged to have occurred.

According to Chief Boyce, Ms. de la Huerta presented a believable story to his detectives, and those detectives were able to corroborate it. However, officials in the office of the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., released a statement indicating that they were not prepared to charge Weinstein.

The claims made by Ms. de la Huerta are similar to those made by other women, who also allege that Weinstein harassed, assaulted or raped them. Nevertheless, it is uncertain whether he will confront criminal charges. Police in Los Angeles and Britain have said they, too, are conducting an investigation into the stories of sexual assault and abuse by Weinstein.

In response via a representative, Weinstein issued a denial of accusations of nonconsensual sex.

If you are facing a charge of having committed a sex crime, call the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Brill Legal Group. They will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, and endeavor to aggressively protect your rights and your reputation.